Grille for automobile radiator fronts and process of its manufacture



L. B. GREEN Jan. 15, 1935.

GRILLE FOR AUTOMOBILE RADIATOR FRONTS AND PROCESS OF ITS MANUFACTURE Filed Sept. 8, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lqvenor. Lee E: Grceq M Jan. 15, 1 935. L. B.. GREEN 1,933,118 GRILLE- FbR AUTOMOBILE RADIATOF FRoN'rs. AND PROCESS OF ITS MANUFACTURE Filed Sept. 8,;1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i 'Lee 3,, GI'QGI? Patented Jan. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES GRILLE FOR AUTOMOBILE RADIATOR FRONTS AND PROCESS OF ITS MANUFAC- TURE Lee B. Green, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor to Globe Machine & Stamping Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 8, 1933, Serial No. 688,634v

6 Claims.

My invention relates to a metal grille of the class in which louver blades are fastened directly to separately formed cross-members, and in one of its major objects aims to provide a grille of this class in which deformed portions of each blade anchor that blade rigidly to each crossmember without requiring welding or riveting operations. In a further major object, my invention aims to provide a simple and expeditious process of manufacturing such a grille, to cooperate with the simple construction of the parts of my here presented grille for reducing the cost of this grille in comparison with grilles of the same general class as now in use.

In the grille of my United States Patent #1914253 (dated June 13, 1933) each blade was of a rearwar-dly open U-section, and had rear edge portions of each blade Web bearing against the cross-bars; and each blade web also had fingers or tabs projecting rearwardly from that Web through slots in the cross-bars, the free end portion of each tab being clinched against a rear, face portion of the adjacent cross-bar. When these anchoring tabs correspond in cross-section to the slots through which they are slidably inserted, a mere fiatwise bending of the part of the tab projecting behind the portion of the cross-bar in which each slot is formed suflices to efiect the desired fastening; And in the use of such grilles on radiator shell, such flatwise clinched blade tabs have in general aiforded commercially satisfactory fastenings after the crossbars are fastened to the radiator shell which then holds these cross-bars in relatively rigid positions.

However,.when the-blades are formed of relatively thin steel to meet the demand for both lightness and low cost, the resiliency of the blades permits theassembled grille to be twisted considerably before its cross-members are securely fastened to the radiator shell-as for example during the speedy and occasionally rough handling which such grilles receive while supporting brackets are being fastened to them, while passing to and through the plating and bufiing department, and otherwise prior to mounting them in the radiator shells.

Under such conditions, a grille is sometimes twisted or wrenched to such an extent as to unbend the clinched tabs on one or more blades somewhat, thereby partially loosening the previously firm anchoring of these blades to one or more cross-members. In addition, the rightangled junctures of each tab with the main rear edge portion of the blade web afiord points of (Cl. 29-160) A portions of that web, the blade must be formed from a strip of metal of considerably greater width than would be required for the same blade if the tabs were not needed, thereby wasting a corresponding proportion of the metal.

My present invention aims -to overcome the just recited shortcomings by providing a somewhat allied grille construction whichwill permit each blade web to be clinched to the cross-members without requiring these webs to be provided with projecting tabs, and which will allow the clinching operation to deform the clinching portions of the blade webs so that these portions 'will effectively resist even severe strains tending to loosen their grip. Furthermore, my invention aims to construct the cross-members so that each blade web will seat in slots of considerable depth, thereby greatly increasing the resistance of the blade to strains tending to move or rock the blade laterally.

In its immediate commercial application, my invention is particularly advantageous for use in connection with frontal grilles for automobiles. Hence an embodiment-suitable for that purpose is described in the following specification, from which further and more detailed objects of my invention will also appear, although I do not wish to be limited as to the purposes for which my here disclosed grille is employed.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a three-part front elevation of lefthand portions of a V-front radiator grille, showing parts of the upper cross-member, the intermediate cross-member (or so called tie-bar), the lower cross-member, together with the portions of blades secured respectively to -these three crossmembers.

Fig. 2 is an enlargedand fragmentary horizontal section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3, 4, and 5v are, enlarged vertical sections taken respectively from the correspondingly numbered lines inFig. 1. 1

Fig. 6 is an enlarged rear elevation of the upper left-hand part of the grille portion shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 isa section taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 6, namely along the inner face of one web of a grille blade.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the blade parts shown'in Fig. 6 showing its deformation after it has been clinched to the adjacent crossmember.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged frontal perspective view of a portion of the mid-height tie-bar.

Fig. 10 is a section taken along the line 1010 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a section allied to Fig. 10, showing the equal depth of the slots in the tie-bar as employed in a flat-front grille.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged rear elevation of a portion of a grille blade anchored according to my invention to a channel-sectioned cross-bar, showing an alternative deforming of the blade webs suitable for use with a relatively wide cross-bar.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary section taken at right angles to the plane of the grille, showing parts of suitable die parts as they appear at the end of the blade-deforming operation.

Fig. 14 is a section taken through Fig. 13 along the line 14-14.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary rear perspective view showing the fastening of a generally flat grille blade to a cross-member according to my invention.

Fig. 16 is a section through Fig. 15, taken in the medial plane between the channel webs of the cross-member.

Fig. 1'7 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing the fastening of a grille blade to a cross-bar according to my aforesaid Patent #1914353, for comparison with the here presented improvement.

Fig. 18 is a side elevation of a tabbed rear edge portion of the blade of Fig. 1'7, as initially formed.

In constructing a grille composed of upright U-sectioned blades W connected by three superposed cross-bars, as per Figs. 1 to 10, I employ generally horizontal channel-sectioned cross members presenting upper and lower channel webs extending rearwardly from opposite edges of the channel-back. Each such cross-member has pairs of parallel upright slots S (Figs. 9 and 10) extending rearwardly into it, with the spacing D (Fig. 2) of the medial planes P of the pairs of slots corresponding to that desired for the medial plane between the webs of the U-sectioned blades, and with each slot of a width for slidably receiving a rear edge portion of a web of one of the blades.

Each such slot is sawed through the forward portion of the cross-bar to a considerably greater depth than the thickness of the channel-back, and

preferably to a depth at least equal to the said thickness plus at least three times the thickness of a blade web W. When the several blades are to have their web faces parallel to a plane at right angles to the general plane of the opening spanned by the grille, as is now customary in automobile radiator grilles, the bottoms 5 of the slots of each pair are disposed in common plane parallel to the said general plane, and the side walls of the slots extend at right angles to that general plane.

Thus, in the left-hand portion of a V-front grille, the side walls of the slots deviate from a plane at right angles to the forward face of the channel-back 4 of the tie-bar in Fig. 9 by an angle A (Fig. 5) corresponding to the angle between said face and the general plane of the radiator shell opening spanned by the grille, and the right-hand slot extends to a greater depth into the cross-bar than the lefthand one, as also shown in Fig. 10.

In assembling the grille, the blades are disposed across the three cross-members (here shown as an upper end-bar, a lower end bar, and a midheight tie-bar) with the rear edge portions of the webs W of each blade extending through a pair of slots S in each blade and seating on the bottoms 5 of these slots; so that each blade web presents straight rear edge portions at a considerable distance behind the channel-backs of the several cross-members, the rear edges of these portions being indicated by the dotted lines E in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

Then I deform the two blade web portions which are behind each such channel-back so that they will flare apart as shown in Fig. 8, desirably to an extent which decreases both upwardly and downwardly from a medial plane M (Fig. 6) between the two channel webs 2 and 3, and so that the spread-apart portions 7 of the two webs will bear against the rear face of the channel back re spectively adjacent to the slot walls at the side toward which each such part 7 is distended.

For these purposes, the cross-bar with the blade web portions extending through its grooves may be set into a die-block 9 (Fig. 13) with each blade seated in a groove 10 of that block and with the channel-back 4 of the cross-bar resting on the upper face of the block, while the free edge portions of the two webs of each blade extend upwardly. Then the upwardly projecting blade web portions in a group of such blades can be deformed simultaneously by depressing a die 11 having round-nosed downward projections disposed respectively for anchoring the several blades to the cross-bar.

To avoid an overstraining of the metal of the blades, the die projections are desirably formed so as to press only a small part of the area of each deformed blade web part '7 against the channelback of the adjacent cross-member, as for example the area indicated in dotted lines at 13 in Fig. 6, since the result of this deforming differs radically from that obtained by the flatwise bending of a tab projecting from a blade web after the manner of my said Patent #1914253.

In the grille of my said disclosure, each blade web W had a rearwardly extending tab T (Fig. 1'7) which extended slidably through a slot in the channel-back 4 of the adjacent cross-member, and the free end portion of this tab was bent fiatwise against the rear face of this channel-back. Since such a mere flatwise bending of the rearward tab portion still left the latter of the same width as the length of the slot, any forcible side pressure applied to the blade near its forward edge would tend to unbend one of the tabs; and an alternately reversed side pressure would gradually loosen both tabs, as the tabs could then slide forwardly in the slots through which they extend.

With my here presented blade web deformations, the web portions are distended in area during the deformin operation, so that the length of the convexed outer edge 7 of each such deformation 7 (Fig. 8) is much greater than the distance between the adjacent channel webs; and the area of the deformed web portion is also considerably increased. Consequently, this web portion 7 would have to be compressed longitudinally and also flattened and bent back to its original general plane before the blade could slide outwardly, which could not be accomplished by any strains on the blade. Moreover, each such deformed web portion 7 is substantially an arcuate segment of a hollow sphere, the curvature of which greatly resists any tendency toward flattening it, even when the blade was formed of thin metal.

In addition, my present improvement also has these decided advantages over the use of a projecting tab:

- (1') To'all'ow for these tabs, *each blade "must be l'ormed from a strip of metal which exceeds that required for the remainder of the blade by more than twice the length of "the tab '(a part of this increased width being needed to allow for the punching), thereby requiring considerably more metal and also requiring apunchingopera- "eon; while no punching operation whatever is "otherwise could not properly be clinched against the-channel back. Consequently, the maximum depth to which the channel-sectioned cross-bar can then beslotted is approximately the thickness "of the channel-back, or much too small to have a material effect in bracing the blade sideways.

on the other hand, my here presented method of interlocking a tabless'blade with such a cross-bar allows the slots to be many times as deep as "the thickness of the channel-back, so that each blade webis strongly braced against side thrust by its engagement with the slot walls.

"('3) With a tabbed blade, the alined junctures of each tab with the main portions of the rear edge "of each *b'lade web define a shearing line alone which the "tab "might be ruptured by severe strains; while with "my present grille, each rear web edgeis continuous as shown in Fig. 8') so that no suchishe'aring action could occur.

('4) With the older'clinched tab fastening, the resistance to a longitudinal sliding of the blade withrespect to each cross-member depends partly on having the width of the tab correspond closely to the "length of the slot through which the tab extends, and the clinching operation does not compensate for variations in this respect. On "the other hand, my present fprocedure causes the die to form bends 15 (Figs. 6 and 8) at the junctures of each deformed blade web part with the channel webs of a cross-member, and during the deforming these bends are automatically pressed against the said channel webs, thereby compensating for variations in the spread of these webs and securely locking the blades against longitudinal sliding.

Since the needed saw slots can readily be out with equal facility in cross-members of widely varying channel sections, my invention also readily lends itself to the use of a tie-bar T of less width and difierent sectional shape than either the upper end bar U or the lower end bar L, as shown for example in Figs. 1 to 5. And by sawing these slots deeper in the end members, which usually are thicker steel than the intermediate tie-bar, because these end members constitute the main support for a radiator grille, I eliminate the welding operations which have heretofore been employed in connecting the blades to the end members of grilles in which tabs on the blades were used for clinching the blades to the intermediate tie-bars.

Moreover, while I have heretofore described my invention in connection with portions of a V-front grille having U-sectioned blades, I do not wish to be limited to the combination and arrangement above disclosed, since many changes might be made without departing either from the spirit of my invention or from the appended claims.

For example, instead of having each deformed blade-web portion consist of a single rearwardly concaved portion, this might be deformed, when adjacent to a suitably wide cross-member 16 into "two consecutive portions 17, as shown in Fig. 12.

'And, since the numerous advantages of my here presented blade anchoring arrangement hold true separately as to each blade web, my invention may also be employed in connection with blades of generally flat -'(instead of U-sectioned) form. For example, Fig. 15 shows a generally fiat blade 18 having its forward edge rolled into a bead 19, the blade having a. rear edge portion 20 extending through a slot in a cross-member, after the same manner as in the previously described fig- 'ures, and having the blade portion between the channel webs 2 and 3 and behind the channel web deformed into a distended web portion 7.

Moreover, while Figs. 1 and -8 show portions of a. grille embodying my invention in which each web of a grille blade has its entire rear edge in a single plane it will be obvious (without additional picturing) that my :here presented grille can alsobe constructed with upright blades which curve forward downwardly after the manner now customary in grilles for some makes of automobiles,

in which case each blade web (as initially formed) .will have its rear edge in a simple curved surface insteadof a plane. Hence it is to be understood that the term simple surface is used in certain of thewclaims to include both a plane and any continuous :non-pl'anular surface, to distinguish from a rear blade web edge which has tabs or fingersprojecting beyond the common surface of the major portions of that edge.

So also, I do not wish to be limited to the use 7 of the die parts described in connection with Figs. 13 and 14 for effecting the blade-web deforming and simultaneously therewith anchoring the blades to the cross-members.

(I claim as my invention:

'1. A grille comprising generally horizontal and relatively superposed channel-sectioned crossmembers presenting their channel-backs at their front, the cross-members having alined and forwardly open upright pairs of slots extending into them to a greater depth than the thickness of their said channel-backs; and generally upright blades of rearwardly open U-section each having the rearward portions of its two webs extending through alined pairs of slots in the superposed cross-members and respectively engaging the bot toms of the slots; the portions of the two blade webs between the two channel webs of each crossmember and behind the channel-back of that member being bowed both forwardly and away from each other so as to spread the rear edges of these web portions farther apart than the spread of the said webs above and below the said channel-back, and so as to have more forward parts of these web portions engage the rear face of the said channel-back.

2. A grille comprising generally horizontal and relatively superposed channel-sectioned crossmembers presenting their channel-backs at their front, the cross-members having alined and pairs of upright slots extending rearwardly into them from the front face through the channel-backs and into both webs of the said cross-members; and generally upright blades of rearwardly open U-section and each formed from metal of a thickness not exceeding one-third to the depth to which the said slots extend behind the said channelbacks; each blade having the rearward portions of its two webs extending through and substantially between the two channel webs of each crossmember and behind the channel-back of that member being a segment of a hollow sphere hearing forwardly against the channel-back of that cross-member.

3. An upright grille comprising substantially parallel and upright blades each including a web presenting an initially fiat rear edge portion, and a cross-member of rearwardlyopen channel section having alined transverse slots extending rearwardly into it through its channel-back and of a greater depth than the thickness of the channel-back of the said member; each slot being of a width corresponding to that of the said rear portion of a blade web and having the rear portion of one of the blade webs extending through and substantially fitting one of the said slots and engaging the bottom of the slot, each blade being initially formed so that the rear edge of the web portion which extends behind the channel-back and between the channel-webs of a cross-member is in a common simple surface with the rear edge portions of the said web above and below the said cross-member; each blade web having the said portion thereof being a segment of a hollow sphere concaved both rearwardly and longitudinally of the cross-member, the said web portion having a part thereof bearing forwardly against a part of the channel-back of the cros member adjacent to the slotted portion of the said channel-back.

4. The method of anchoring a substantially flat rear edge portion of a grille blade to a crossbar having a rearwardly open channel section and having a transverse slot extending rearwardly into through its channel-back and extending farther rearwardly into the channel webs of the cross-bar to a depth at least three times the said blade, which method comprises the steps of inserting the said rear edge portion of the blade in the said slot to the full depth of the slot; and thereafter deforming the part of the said blade portion which is between the channel webs of the cross-bar and behind the said channel-back, from its initial flat form to a non-planular form in which the said blade portion has its free edge of a greater length than the initial length of that blade edge portion and in which a mid-length part of the said blade portion bears forwardly against a part of the said channel-back adjacent to the said slot.

5. The method of anchoring a substantially flat rear edge portion of a grille blade to a crossbar having a rearwardly open channel section and having a transverse slot extending rearwardly into the cross-bar through the channel-back of the cross-bar and into both channel webs of the cross-bar, which consists in inserting the said rear edge blade portion in the said slot to the full depth of the slot portions in the said channel webs; and thereafter deforming the part of the said blade portion which is between the channel webs of the cross-bar and behind the said channel-back, from its initial fiat form to a segment of a hollow sphere, which segment bears forward- 1y against the rear face of the channel back adjacent to the middle of one of the longer sides of the slot.

6. The method of anchoring an upright grille blade of a uniform rearwardly open U-section to a horizontal cross-bar of rearwardly open channel section which has two upright slots extending rearwardly into it to a greater depth than the thickness of the channel-back of the cross-bar, which consists in disposing the blade with the webs thereof extending respectively through the said slots and bearing rearwardly against the bottoms of the slots; and thereafter forcibly spreadin apart the portions of the two blade webs which are disposed between the channel webs of the cross-bar and behind the channel-back of the cross-bar with the extent of the spreading increasing rearwardly away from the channelback, and simultaneously with the spreading apart of the said blade portions pressing a part of each such blade portion against the rear face of the channel-back.

LEE B. GREEN. 

